Workshop Make-over

I possibly own one of the smallest shops in the forum … It is a basement hobby shop measured 6’6” x 20’. It is hard to handle large projects, but this shop has served me well in making what I want to make, mostly small to medium sized furniture thus far, and all my lumbers are stored in the garage.

I recently decided to renovate my shop as my wife has complained many times how messy the shop was. I built quite many cabinets, mobile or fixed, with cabinet grade softwood plywood, MDF and pine faceframes. Some cabinets also serve as cover-up for gas and water meters. What I can say is that I possibly have done the renovation in the most cost effective way I can – all the pine lumber, MDF and hardware (many not installed yet) were purchased from a salvage store and cost almost nothing …

Given the size of the shop, I tried to mobilize everything and create as much counter area as possible. I have some basic power tools, not fancy as many ones have here, but they were tuned as well as I can and they are doing their job …

Yes it is small, but you took what you had and made it the best darn small area to work in. looks like you could gain some extra room by installing drawers in the work bench. Replace the round light with a cheap 8ft light strip. Build yourself a rotating station for stuff like your planer,bandsaw ect. it was a 3 station triangle type, close to what you have now but you can have 3 on it. I remember seeing something in wood mag on one…. Just some ideas….. and be nice to the wife maybe she will give you just a little more room…

I admit, I ~could ~ have a large workspace…IF …I could ever get as organized as you have made your shop ! Looking at this organized, if tiny, space makes my cheeks turn a lil pink. Our cottage is T-shaped; two 12’x24’ foot wings. One section is all “storage” coughscluttercoughs; the entrance wing is our shop. Looking at the well done shops on LJ gives me inspiration to get our’s in line.

Nice job using the movable cabinets etc. It isn’t the size of the shop that matters, it’s the character of the user and the quality of the work that matters. I have quite a few power tools and have been doing a lot of thinking lately of using primarily hand tools, extra space just means more stuff to move around and trip over.

-- Upstate New York -- Do what you love and never work a day in your life.

I recently visited a luthier, at his home shop. The shop is about half as long and I’d say 70% of your width. I almost fell over when I walked in and the first think past the door is an 18” Ricon bandsaw. He has a 2’, maybe 2.5’ wide bench on one wall and hanging tools on the back wall. The width between the bench and back wall is maybe 2 feet. A large wide man would have a problem maneuvering. His guitars sell, and the price is not for the weak of wallet. So I don’t judge a shop by it’s size, it’s the quality of what you build in it, that counts. You really made great use of the space. Thanks for sharing.

First, what a great organized space. You have to be creative when it comes to a small work area. Second, I agree with davidroberts. I’d be willing to bet that some of the greatest stuff comes out the smallest shops. A small shop owner is almost forced to work more efficiently. In my own case, because I don’t have room for wood storage, I have to make every piece count. Although, if you were to look at my shop in it’s current condition you might be inclined to say “Yeah! Right!”